Blueberry Pie
by Juxapose4ever
Summary: A rewriting of an older fanfiction. Trying to get back in to the swing of writing. Wish me luck.
1. Chapter 1

Harvest Moon: Blueberry Pie

Chapter 1

There is a place far away from the rustle and bustle of the busy city life. A small village where is home to a small number of individuals who yearn for the calm tranquil of country life. A place where everyone knows and helps one another. This small piece of paradise exists in the middle of a dense forest sandwiched between an ocean, and a tall mountain. This place is called Flowerbud Village.

Surprisingly, there are many things to do in this remote village. Many residents spend their days walking around enjoying the beautiful vies. Others spend their days fishing and harvesting for a living. Residents gather together several times a year to sing and dance at festivals. Even on non-festival days, they gather at café's and inns to chat about the busy lives they came to live.

Every resident has their story. But this story begins a bit differently. The village has recently built a sanitarium behind the local clinic. This building was especially built to resemble a home, so a special guest can live in it peacefully. This new resident will need to live in this hospital/home hybrid for the rest of her life.

A few days after the sanitarium is built, a limousine pulls into the village, and parks at the side of the sanitarium. The side door opens, and a young nurse walks out to take a good look at the sanitarium. After giving her approval, she moves to the other side of the limo, and opens the door.

"Dia, we are here. From now on, this is going to be our new home!" said the young nurse while opening the limo door. "The sanitarium looks a lot nicer than the doctor told us about. Come out and take a look yourself."

A young girl then steps out of the limo, and takes a look at the sanitarium. The building is brand new, but the style looks old fashioned and rustic. Completely contradictory to Dia's clothes that looks more modern and sophisticated. She then takes a quick look around at the rest of the village, and she frowns. Nothing but miles of dirt roads rather than the streets and sidewalks she is used to. Even though she is wearing a green dress, she feels that it does not match with the rest of the foliage. She feels that her new mary-jane shoes will get dirty and scratched from the dirt and pebbles on the ground. And she feels that the pollen in the air won't be good for her jet black medium short hair.

She adjusts her gold colored circlet before saying, "Gina, why do I have to live in a sanitarium? Why can't I just go back home?"

The nurse named Gina sighs and answers, "You know what the doctor said. It's best for your health to stay in a place where you'll be taken care of. You don't like living in a hospital, so this is a better alternative. It's almost like living in a normal house."

Dia sighs and says, "Fine, whatever. As long as I don't live in a hospital, then this will have to do. But I was hoping I would live someplace closer to home."

"Everything is going to be okay, I'm right here with you."

Dia nods. Gina is Dia's nurse. They both met after Dia was hospitalized three years ago. Now they've become good friends. Gina was then hired by Dia's family to care for her in Flowerbud Village. Gina had no family at home, so she gladly decided to start a new life with Dia.

The next day, Dia was introduced to the medic of Flowerbud Village, Doctor Alex. She found it quite surprising that Alex is so young, only a few years older than Gina. He also has medium long jet black hair, but his hair was loose, while Dia's was held back by her circlet.

"Let's see. . ." said Alex while he reviews Dia's medical charts that came in the mail. "Your name is Dia, age 23, blood type O-. Looks like you had quite an accident some years ago."

Dia nods quietly as Alex continues to review her charts. "Okay, I get why you are here, but I'll need to examine you thoroughly. I'll need to see some of your injuries."

Dia nods, and turned her back to show the doctor her scars. She is somewhat comfortable with undressing partially; she had many doctors look at her before. She unbuttons the back of her dress and exposes her back. Alex cringes as he sees the large scars on her back that is hidden under her dress. According to his charts, Dia has more scars elsewhere on her body.

"That must have been quite an accident. It's a miracle that you're alive right now," he comments.

"If you call this living," Dia snaps as she covers herself again. "I can't move around a lot, I need to live under the care of a doctor or nurse, I can't live a normal life, and now I must live in a cottage for the rest of my life in a hick town."

"It's not so bad," said Gina. "After all, I'm here with you, and we'll be together forever. So you won't be alone."

Dia grunts as she looks away. Gina only smiles, considering that this is normal for Dia. The doctor then puts away the charts and says, "Well, it's not perfect place, but I'm sure you'll like it here. The air is clean, the people are friendly, and there is no noise or flashing lights keeping you awake. Hopefully, they'll be a new treatment sooner or later that might allow your body to recover a bit better."

Dia sighs. She has no hope that she'll ever get better. After all, she's not sick, but her body is weak from an accident that happened earlier. Even though she came to the village with a good friend, she doesn't think she can come to trust anyone else. She would rather be alone, than hurt even more.

To be continued.


	2. Blueberrypie 2

Part 2

Several weeks have passed in the small village called Flowerbud Village. Dia continues living in the second floor of the sanitarium. Even though the spring air is inviting, she has not left the building once. She only goes down to the lower floor to see Doctor Alex.

Dia spends her time reading books that Gina bring back from the library. Gina is her only connection to the outside world, she brings her food, books, and other things she needs to live comfortably. Some random villagers find their way into the sanitarium, but nobody goes upstairs. Every time she hears a random villager inside, she just hides and stays still pretending that nobody's home. Because she keeps herself hidden, nobody in the village other than Gina and Alex know that Dia lives there.

Gina has tried her best to convince Dia to even take a step outside, but Dia always resists. Every now and then, she would take a look outside the window and see the happy villagers move around freely. Every time she does, she feels envious that she can't even share the liberty to walk to the library without help. Since she can't walk with them, she prefers not to socialize and feel left out.

On a clear spring day, Dia takes a look out her window and sees the birds flying around the village. Nobody is around, so she can stare all she wants without being seen. As she stares, Gina walks up to her, and asks, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Sure." answered Dia in her usual emotionless tone.

Gina smiles and continues, "It's such a perfect day for a picnic. I know that soon we will be able to go outside and enjoy a day like today."

Dia remains quiet.

"I received a letter from your father," said Gina gaining Dia's full attention. "He wrote that he has made a generous donation to the hospital at our hometown. With it, he expects medical science to advance and find good treatments so we can enjoy days like today."

"Even if daddy donates everything he has to science," answered Dia. "It still would take years before they make any progress at all."

"It's possible. . ."

Dia then continues to stare outside the window to watch the birds. Gina then says, "Dia, I am heading to the market. Do you need me to pick something up for you? I heard the blueberry pie is good today! Shall I get you a piece?"

"A blueberry pie would be nice," answered Dia

Gina nods in response, and leaves to get some pie from the Cafe. Not too long after she leaves, Dia decides to read a book until she comes back. What she doesn't know that the Sanitarium is getting an unexpected visitor.

Pete, the local farmer of Flowerbud Village is taking a random stroll around. He stops at the Sanitarium, and takes a look at it. He has never been inside, and becomes curious to see who lives inside. He then decides to pay a visit, it's open to the public after all.

He goes inside, and takes a look. He finds the odd mix of traditional village house and clinic to be quite interesting. There is normal furnishing for visitors, but medical equipment scattered around as well. As he looks around, he thinks nobody lives here yet.

But as he walks around the sanitarium quietly, Dia lightly sneezes from the chilly spring air coming into the Sanitarium's open window. Pete hears the sneeze, and notices the stairs leading to the second floor. There are no signs saying that he cannot go upstairs, so he decides to take a look.

As Pete walks upstairs, Dia closes her book, and places it in the bookshelf. By this time, she hears someone coming up the stairs. At first, she thought that it was Gina coming back from the market. But as she looks back, she sees a complete stranger looking at her from the stairwell.

As soon as she sees him, she hides behind a nearby curtain. But even though she is hiding, she does take a good look at her guest. His clothing makes it obvious that he is a farmer with his blue overalls, white t-shirt with a few dirt stains, a red bandanna around his neck, and a blue baseball cap on his head. Even though his average height and medium brown hair is nothing special to look at, she does find his baby blue eyes to be quite charming.

Pete looks over trying to figure out why is she hiding from him. There was a moment of awkward silence before Dia says, "Who are you? What do you want?"

Pete lets out a sigh of relief and answers, "Hello, my name is Pete. I heard a rumor that someone moved here, so I wanted to introduce myself." The silence returns for a moment, so Pete continues, "Why are you hiding, I won't bite."

Pete tries to approach Dia, but she moves deeper into the curtain as soon as he budges. "Please, go away. I wish to be left alone." she told him.

Pete doesn't want to scare Dia, so he begins to leave. But before he does, he asks, "Can I at least have your name?"

"It's Dia, now please go." she answered. With that, Pete leaves the sanitarium.

On his way out, Pete runs into Gina who is coming back from the market. "Oh! Hello there Pete," says Gina.

"Hey Gina." answered Pete. Pete has met Gina several times before around the village, and in his farm buying vegetables. "Do you live here?"

"Yes I do. Did you come to see me about something?"

"Not really, I heard that someone moved here, and I wanted to introduce myself. I should have figured that it was you." He then points to the stairs leading up and asks, "By the way, there is another girl here named Dia, what's her story?"

Gina gasps and says, "oh dear! She must have been surprised to see you up there."

"I guess so. Sorry about that."

Gina nods and says, "Dia is a close friend of mine, we both moved here together."

"I see," responds Pete. He then takes a whiff and smells the aroma of blueberry pie coming from the basket Gina's holding. "Smells good, is that a piece of pie?"

"Yes, it's blueberry pie. It's Dia's favorite."

"Okay." He then takes a look at the stairs leading up. For a moment, he wanted to go back up with Gina and apologize for appearing out of the blue. But remembering what Dia said, he doesn't think he should.

"Is everything okay?" asked Gina.

"No, I'm just about to go home. Bye then!"

"Take care," Gina responds with a bow. After Pete leaves, Gina walks upstairs to check on Dia. At first, Dia was still hiding, but she comes out as soon as she sees Gina.

"Looks like you made a new friend," Gina said randomly.

"Leave me alone. . . ," responded Dia. She then goes back to her seat where Gina gives her the pie to enjoy. As she eats, Dia was tempted to take a look outside. But she then slaps herself remembering that she vowed never to trust anyone other then Gina again. And after how cold and mean she was to him, she feels sure that she'll never see him again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Pete comes home after a long day's work. He throws his bag of tools by the door, and slams himself on the couch to relax. He then picks up his remote and begins watching TV. It was quite a day at the farm, picking up after animals, taking crop requests from the other villagers, and checking on his other properties.

As he watches the tube, his mind constantly gets distracted with the image of the girl living in the sanitarium. It has been about a week since he visited the place. He has passed by the sanitarium several times since then, but never found the courage or a good reason to visit again.

That night after he takes a shower, he takes a look in the mirror. Looking into his own blue eyes, spiky black hair, and good physique, he thinks to himself that it's quite unfair that he's still single. He believes that he is a decent looking man, and having a girlfriend in his life is not such a bad idea.

The village may be small, but there are some attractive looking single women around. Working at the farm takes up a lot of time, but the nights are young, and the bar opens till late. There is also an attractive looking girl at the rival farm, and another at the ranch. As he continues to think about single women, he remembers the Cafe hiring quite a looker a few days ago.

After changing to his pajamas, he decides to take the plunge, and find himself someone nice to go out with. He jumps into bed, and imagines himself working at the farm with a cute looking girlfriend watching and cheering him on. Afterwards, they would go out, and have fun playing all sorts of games, and going to festivals together. He then imagines taking her home, and kissing her goodnight.

"I wonder is that Dia girl is single. . . ," he finds himself thinking randomly. He then closes his eyes, and drifts into a deep sleep.

The next day, he wakes up, and goes to work. Like every morning, he feeds the animals, brushes them, cleans up after them, moves them around, and collects their products. By the time he's done, it's about lunchtime. So he goes home, and makes himself a good lunch. Living alone has made himself a pretty good cook, a talent he intends to abuse to get himself a lady.

After lunch, it's time to care for the crops. The morning dew has already dried off, so he needs to water the plants to keep them healthy. Some of the crops are also ripe, so he collects them in his basket, and drops them into a shipping bin located close to his house.

The day is now coming to a close. Pete is in one of his properties that he had purchased a while ago. In the plot of land, he has planted several trees to help him make a little extra money. He finds no problems with the growth of his saplings. As he further inspects the land, his attention is directed at some nearby blueberry bushes.

The property came with the bushes, and he decided not to clear them out. Around this time in spring, the bushes get filled with fresh wild blueberries ready for harvesting. As he harvests them, he remembers what Gina said about Dia and blueberry pies. Even though he originally wanted to ship the blueberries, he decides to store them in his home in case he'll need them.

The farm work is done, and now it's time to play. He takes off his blue overalls and hat, and takes a quick shower. He then changes to something a bit more casual and relaxed, like a pair of jeans, a short sleeved white shirt, with a blue sleeveless over it, and some black sneakers to complete the look. He then straightens up his spiky hair, and throws on some cologne for good measure. Before he heads out, he takes a look in the mirror, and compliments himself on how good he looks.

He heads out to the bar to start his hunt for a lovely lady. The Moonlight Cafe is open well over midnight, so he has plenty of time for flirting and romance. At the bar, he finds a small collection of attractive women, but none other stands out more than the bar girl herself Eve. Eve has that slender curvaceous figure that most men find attractive in any woman. Add in the sexy cocktail dress, heels, long blond hair, and slender red eyes, and you have a combination that would make any man drool.

Pete thinks that if he can catch this vixen, he'll surely be the envy of the village. So he heads over, and talks to the lovely young beauty. At first, they start to hit it off quite well. Eve is also attracted to him, and she shows obvious signs of interest. But as the night goes on, they start to hit some rocky roads. Neither of them had anything in common; Eve was not interested in farming, and Pete is not a constant late-night dweller. When the bar closed, Pete returned home alone and disappointed.

Several days later, Pete found some time to visit the Spring Farm, where the lovely Nina lives. She has long pink hair, and wears pretty frilly white dress like Little Bo Peep. Using his culinary skills, Pete made some strawberry jam, and fresh homemade bread for her. Nina loves strawberries, so he feels that he is sure to attract her. He invited her out to a picnic, and she accepts with a smile.

At the picnic, Pete serves his jam on the fresh bread for Nina. He then gets his flirt on, trying his best to get to know this pretty little flower. Even through they has a lot in common, Nina's personality was not as interesting as Pete thought. She was a bit excessively bubbly, and all that ever comes out of her mouth is flowers, honeybees, and her favorite fruits. A one track mind that would make a boring mate.

As soon as Pete had some more time off, he goes over to the Blue Sky Ranch and tries his luck with the more interesting girl in town, Ellen. Not too attractive, just plain brown straight hair and brown eyes. Nothing unique like the other girls, but she has that ranch girl charm to her, and would make a great mate for Pete. In order to get on her good side, he offers to help Ellen with her chores, which she finds quite charming. She happily agrees, and they both whistle while they work.

Just as he assumed, they had many things in common, and she was a lot more interesting than the other girls. They told jokes, laughed and had a good time as they tended to the animal's needs. She would be a great candidate for him, if it wasn't for that one small problem he forgot about. Her cousin Blue who also worked at the ranch is highly overprotective of her. As they made small talk, Pete finds Blue watching him from all corners of the ranch. He also carries a huge Pitchfork for what seems to be no other reason other than to be intimidating. Although he really likes Ellen, he decides to leave her alone so that he doesn't anger Blue.

The next place he tries is the Callaway Cafe. At the Cafe, he meets the new waitress called Katie. And did he ever become a fan of her looks at first sight. Katie is eighteen years old, younger than the other girls he already met. Her little black waitress dress can turn a few heads in the Cafe, making most girls jealous of her. Her hair is tied to the sides, and curled like Shirley Temple. Young, fresh, and attractive, Pete has to get to know her a little better.

He sat down at a table, and ordered the cake. Katie brags that she made the cake herself, and Pete looks forward to trying her baking skills. She came back with a slice, and placed it on the table. Since the Cafe was a bit slow, Pete took advantage and takes a moment to talk to her. Katie is from the city, and came all the way to the village to bake cakes. However, Pete made the mistake of commenting on her age, and she showed him her ill-tempered side. Her reaction completely scared him off, and went hiding in his farm.

Another week has passed, and Spring is coming to a close soon. Pete lies on his bed, and thinks to himself. Every girl he has flirted with has ended in failure. There are other single girls in town, but they are not his type. His only other options are to wait till more girls settle into the village, or just remain single.

After thinking about the week of failed flirting, his mind is once again on Dia. He has thought about her a lot over the last week. He is not sure why, they only had a moment to exchange a few words. And he feel like Dia was sort of afraid of him. But he can't get her off his mind. He wants to see her again, but doesn't know what sort of excuse he could conjure up to do so.

He then remembers what Gina said. Dia loves Blueberry pie, and Gina goes out to get some for her whenever she wants it. He also remembers the blueberries that he harvested earlier. Looking in his refrigerator, he found the blueberries he has ripening for Jam. He then thinks up a plan; the Sanitarium is open to the public, and he really doesn't need a valid excuse to visit, so he'll just go and see her. He'll bake a pie just for her so she'll fell a bit more comfortable around him.

The next day, Pete wakes up early to bake his pie. During lunch, he takes the pie out of the oven, and leaves it on his windowsill to cool off. As soon as his work is done for the day, the pie is ready for Dia. He places it carefully in a basket, and heads over to the Sanitarium to see Dia.

At the Sanitarium, Dia looks out the window with a book on her lap. Outside, she sees a young man giving some gifts to a girl. Although seeing things like that makes her feel lonely, she keeps saying to herself, that life is better this way. As she sighs sadly, Pete enters the Sanitarium. He did his best to sneak in without Dis seeing him from the window.

"Hey there." said Pete trying to get Dia's attention. She looks over at him for a moment, but she looks back out the window ignoring him. Even though he is being ignored, he still approaches her cautiously.

As soon as he gets close enough, she asks, "What are you doing here? I thought I told you that I wanted to be alone."

Pete smiles. He had a feeling that he is going to get a greeting like that. But still, he smiles for her and says, "I made some blueberry pie. I heard that you like blueberries. . . Do you like blueberries?"

"More than life itself." she answered in a cold uninviting tone.

Pete then pulls out the pie from the basket, and says, "Well, I had some extra pie. I brought you some if you would accept it."

Dia continues to look out the window, not once did she even make an attempt to look at Pete, or the pie. Rather than trying to persuade her, he places the pie on a table next to her along with a fork. "I'll be going then. I hope I didn't upset you."

As quietly as he arrived, he leaves her giving her the space she wants. Dis continues looking out the window watching Pete walk away back to his farm. As soon as Pete is out of sight, Dia turns his attention to the pie he left behind. The scent of fresh blueberries is too much for her to resist. So she grabs a fork, and has a taste. A soft and gentle "It's good." whispered from her lips.

To be continued.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Several days had passed since Dia last saw Pete. She never told Gina that she had a visitor while she was away, but she did notice the remains of the pie that Pete left behind. Gina wanted to ask about it, but she feels that it's best to leave it alone. When Dia is ready to talk about it, she will.

But Gina noticed something different about Dia. She has been looking out the window more often, like if she is waiting for someone. The look in her eye insists that she has something on her mind, but even Dia has no idea what it is.

Even though she is looking out the window, Dia sits in a spot where she is not easily seen. Every now and then, she notices Pete talking back or forth to his farm, but she doesn't do anything. She doesn't hide, she doesn't feel excited to see him, she's only curious about him. He comes to her home, leaves some pie, and doesn't even come back for the plate.

Pete on the other hand, does think about Dia. Like her, Pete has become curious about her story. Why is she living in a Sanitarium? Why is she so cold and uninviting, yet she leaves her door open for everyone? Why doesn't everyone in the small village know that they have a recluse living in the newly built Sanitarium. All that, and the fact that he finds her extremely attractive.

He may not have seen her smile yet, but there is a unique charm to her that Pete has noticed. Her dress looks rather expensive, like those that you see on a porcelain doll. Her face has no make-up, yet she radiates a natural beauty that can only come from a lifetime of dedicated care. Her choice of words and accent suggests that she is highly educated, like if she graduated from a private school in Europe. All this just begs the question, why is she living in a small village?

Sooner than later, Summer arrives. The air is hot, and villagers spend their days either indoors where the sun doesn't bake them, or at the beach to cool off. While the other villagers are beginning to enjoy their Summer, Pete is in his farm sweating from the heat. The spring crops had wilted, and he is now planting tomatoes and corn. The animals are outside grazing on the lush green grass, which saves loads of time from manual feedings.

Since he has no harvests to pick, or animals to feed, he finds that he has some free time. Naturally, Dia comes to mind. He becomes curious as to how she is doing. Now that Summer has arrived, is she wearing something lighter than her long dress that covers her body from neck to toe? Is she still enjoying blueberry pie, now that blueberries are off season?

He makes the decision to see her once again. Blueberries are off season, but he has connections to get some from other places. They are expensive, but a good way to get on Dia's good side. He had already ordered them ahead of time, so he has what he needs to bake his pie. Breadfruit from the Spring season allows him to make the pie crust, and he knows some interesting blends of sugar and spices for the blueberry filling. All he needs is an excuse to go and see her.

As soon as the pie is ready, he places it in a basket, and heads over to the Sanitarium. He stays out of sight, and hides from a distance to wait for Gina to run an errand. He is not afraid of Gina, but he wants to be able to talk to Dia alone. Two is company, but three is a crowd after all.

As soon as Gina walks out of the Sanitarium, Pete tip toes over unseen. He wants to surprise her without making a dramatic entrance. Just a subtle yet unexpected hello to break the ice. As quietly as he can, he walks up the stairs, and sees Dia reading a book near the window. He smiles, and knocks on the railing to get her attention.

Dia looks over, and sees Pete hanging by the stairwell. She is rather surprised to see him, but she makes no effort to show it. She just turns her attention to her book like if nothing was out of the ordinary. But Pete expected that from her, but he is not worried.

He takes a few steps towards her, and says, "Hey there. What's up?"

Dia looks up at him, and says, "Can I help you?"

Pete scratches the back of his head nervously, and continues, "I was in the area, and I figured that I'd visit. You don't mind if I do, right?"

She looks down at her book, and says, "It's a free country. Do what you like."

"At least she's not kicking me out." he thought to himself. He then places the basket on a nearby table, and says, "I brought some punch and pie. Would you like some?"

"What kind of pie?" asked Dia.

"Blueberry pie. I made it myself."

Dia finally looks up curiously and asks, "Blueberries are out of season. How did you make it?"

"I have my ways." he answered. He then takes a slice of pie, and offers her a piece.

Dia accepts the pie, and has a taste. "These are Canadian blueberries that you used. It may be Summer, but it's still chilly up there."

"You can tell, I'm impressed."

"I have developed a taste for these things."

Pete smiles. He is actually having a conversation with Dia, something he assumed that would be harder to do. But he was right about the blueberries. Offer her some, and she'll open up like a book. He then takes a slice, and has some himself.

After finishing her pie, Dia finally notices that she has let her guard down. Without realizing it, she has become friendly towards Pete. It is a bit late to be cold to him or ask him to leave, but she is curious to know why he has come back.

"So tell me, why are you here?" she asks.

"Me? I just want to talk."

"About what?" she asks curiously. She was expecting the typical questions she would get at the hospital before she arrived in the village. Questions about her condition, her health, the accident. Too many questions that she may not be comfortable to answer.

"Tell me, why do you like blueberries?" Pete asks.

Dia is quite surprised by the question. "What do you mean? I do, because I do. There is no scientific reason why I like blueberries. It is like asking a lady, 'why do you like flowers', or 'why do you like puppies'. Of course, mother did like her wines, and she had lots of berries at home. I guess I just tried some one day, and discovered that I like blueberries over grapes, strawberries, apples and other fruits. I cannot think of any actual reason, nobody chooses what they like, it's just-"

Suddenly, Dia realizes that Pete is giggling. At first, she wonders why is he laughing. But then, she realizes that the question he asked was just meant to be idle chit chat, not something that merits a serious answer. Thinking about it causes her to giggle as well. It has been a while since she had a casual conversation with anyone. Even talking with Gina seems more like talking to a nurse than a friend.

Dia and Pete continue to talk about random topics. Just simple things like, "why is the sky blue", and "what if pigs could fly". Even though the conversations were pointless, Dia finds that she enjoys talking about things other than health and doctors. It feels like a breath of fresh air to her.

Gina came back from her errands about an hour after Pete came over. She was surprised to hear Dia talking and laughing upstairs. She went up, and found Pete there talking to Dia. She is also surprised to see Dia smiling, something she has not seen in a while. Rather than be concerned over Pete's unexpected visit, Gina decides to sit by, and allow Dia to enjoy her company.

Pete didn't stay long after Gina returned. But as he is leaving, Gina made an odd request of Pete. Even though Dia never asked him to come back, Gina asked him to make occasional visits to the Sanitarium whenever he had some time. Pete gladly agreed, and went back to the farm. Dia went back to reading her books quietly, but now she does so with a smile.

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Time passed since Pete started visiting Dia. Summer days roll over one by one, and everyone in Flowerbud Village continues to stay cool in the summer heat. Pete continues to work on his farm, and Dia still reads her books by the windowsill. But that does not mean in any way that life is just the same for Pete and Dia.

At least once a week, Pete comes over to the Sanitarium to visit Dia. Pete always brings her blueberry pie for them to enjoy. At times, he wonders how can one person love blueberries so much that she'll never be bored with it. He tries to mix up the recipe a bit to make the pie taste different, but blueberries are blueberries to him.

Pete usually does the talking during the visits. He talks about his hometown, family, friends, interests, dreams, and the reason he even decided to live in Flowerbud Village. Every once in a while, Dia would talk about her family, but it was obvious to him that she tends to hide a lot about her past. Pete avoids the topic like the plague, but it has become the awkward elephant in the room.

When Pete is not visiting, he dedicates his time to his farm. The more work he does, the more time he can spend with Dia. He has no idea how he feels about her, let alone how she feels about him. All he knows is that after a hard day's work, it feels nice to have someone else to talk to other than cows and chickens. Even though being close to her brings him joy and comfort, the fact that she has a secret makes him believe that she doesn't trust him. He wants to ask about her past, but he is too scared to. He fears that touching on an unwelcome subject will ruin his friendship with her.

Since Pete has been coming to the Sanitarium, Dia has been looking out the window more often. She knows why, but she'll never admit it to herself. She tells herself that she is admiring the village from her room, but she is looking forward to Pete's next visit. Sadly, her window is not in the direction of his farm, so she'll never be able to see him coming. She does notice him from time to time shopping from a distance. So many things she wants to know that she'll never want to ask, even to herself. One time, she found Pete talking to Nina from the Spring Farm. At first, Dia felt the little prick in her chest, but that went away after they made a business exchange. A sigh of relief calms her, and she looks forward to their next meeting.

The seasons change, and Autumn takes over the Summer heat. Pete continues to visit Dia, but he notices something. Sometimes while he is telling her a story, he finds her distracted by the window. Most of the time nothing is happening outside, maybe the occasional squirrel or villager walking by. It's like something outside is calling her, but he doesn't know what or why.

One early fall day, Pete arrives home from his visit with Dia. He is about to lay down for the day, but then he realizes that he hasn't changed his calendar yet. It is the fifth day of Fall, and he still has his Summer calendar up. After ripping the page, he takes a look at the summer events that are written on it. During Summer, he missed the Beach Festival, Star Festival, Firefly Festival, and the Fireworks festival because of work. All of them could have been nice to take Dia on a date.

Then he thought for a moment. Not once does he remember Dia leaving the Sanitarium. He doesn't know if she has attended any festivals, or even stepped out to get a breath of fresh air. And if she hasn't, why?

Taking a look at the Fall calendar, he remembers that the Moon Festival is coming in a few short days. He thinks for a moment, and the idea to take her out to the Moon Festival is born. He has never seen her outside the Sanitarium, or even wearing anything different than her green dress she wears every day. He imagines Dia wearing a cute Fall themed dress while having a moonlight picnic with blueberry pie. The plan seems so rich, he can almost taste it.

The day of the Moonlight festival has arrived. He wears his cleanest farming clothes before heading out to ask his princess out of the castle. Luckily, he no longer needs to sneak into the Sanitarium, Doctor Alex and Gina are well aware that Pete is a regular visitor, and they don't mind him coming over to see Dia.

On the other hand, Alex and Gina has already sparked a little romance of their own. Because of their common carers, they both have a mutual attraction. Neither of them are very experienced in the department of romance, but they shyly work with one another while Dia is distracted with Pete. As soon as Pete comes into the Sanitarium, Alex waves at him, and moves on over to ask Gina to the Moonlight Festival.

Up the stairs he goes to meet Dia. Just like always, she is sitting there reading a book by the window. He smiles, and knocks on the railing. This has become like a doorbell for him by now. And like other days, Dia smiles at him. A bit surprised to see him so soon, but she is not complaining.

"Hey there," greets Pete breaking the ice.

"Hello there, you're here pretty early. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Pete then sits by Dia and asks, "you know, the Moonlight festival is tonight. I was wondering if you are willing to go out with me to the festival. You know, like a date."

Dis gasps for a moment, then looks down. There is a look of sadness in her face as she answers, "I. . . I can't. I'm sorry."

Surprised by her answer, Pete sighs himself. "I see. I guess you're going with someone else then."

"That's not it," snapped Dia. "I can't go because I can't go. Not with you, not with anyone."

Pete's eyes widen, Dis is trying to tell him something, but it's so cryptic that he cannot make any sense of it. "Why?" he dares ask.

"I just can't!" Dia answered raising her voice. Her body is trembling, almost like if she is having a panic attack or a nervous breakdown. She wants to go, she wants to get out of the Sanitarium desperately. But she can't physically make the trip, and trying would only lead to explaining her condition. She's scared that if she had to tell Pete that her body is weak, he'll stop coming by.

"I see, I'll just go then."

As soon as Pete turns around, Dia screams, "I am weak dammit!"

Pete looks back at her. She is crying uncontrollably, forced to yell out one of her secrets just to get him to stay. Her outburst got Alex and Gina running up the stairs. Nobody knows what just happened, they only see Dia crying with her face covered, and Pete paralyzed with shock.

Gina runs over to comfort her friend, and Alex looks over towards Pete and asks, "What happened here?"

"It's all my fault," answered Pete

Alex sighs and says, "I am going to have to ask you to leave now."

"Don't go," yells Dia.

Everyone is in shock. Dia is hysterically crying because of Pete, but she is demanding that he stay. Even though Gina has no idea what happened, she calls Pete over. She can tell that Dia has something to tell him, something important.

"I. . . I have a weak body. . . I cannot go out with you. . . Because my body won't let me. . . If I move to much. . . I'll pass out. . ."

Pete takes a deep breath. This confession was very hard on her, almost terrifying. She is human, and her flaws make her feel uncomfortable. She didn't want to get close for many reasons. One of them is to not get hurt. Another is so that she doesn't want to face her imperfections. But most importantly, she doesn't want to be abandoned.

Pete places his hand on her head, "I understand."

Dia looks up at Pete straight into his baby blue eyes. Those comforting eyes that she has come to enjoy looking at every time he comes over. Those eyes like young blueberries which she enjoys so much.

"I'm sorry that I made you cry. I just wanted to get to know you outside this place. I wanted us to enjoy ourselves outside for the first time. Please forgive me."

Dia wipes the tears off her face and asks, "Will you stay here, and spend the festival with me?"

Pete rests his forehead against hers and answers, "Of course I will."

And with that, Gina and Alex leaves them alone to spend the day together. Later that night, they both sat on the windowsill to watch the moon glow brightly. Gina brought them some blueberry pie so they can enjoy with the view. Pete has learned so much that day, but there is still so much left to learn. He'll have to take it one day at a time.

**To be continued.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Since the Moonlight festival, Pete and Dia became closer. That is to be expected, their feelings were made pretty obvious to one another. Pete knows that Dia enjoys his company at the Sanitarium; so much so that it can bring her to tears. He also knows about Dia's illness which prevents her from moving around no further than the sanitarium, but he is still willing to spend time with her.

Fall continues. The leaves turn color, the air is filled with the fresh scent of cakes and pies, and the air is progressively becoming cooler by the day. The cold air doesn't rally bother the young couple at all. Dia is clothed from the neck all the way down. Pete is used to the cold since he works outside all year long. But anyone can agree that with the variant colors of fall, Flowerbud Village is absolutely stunning around this time of year.

Like many days, Dia looks out her window, wondering when the next time Pete will visit. Before she came to the village, she was used to being alone. Nobody to talk to other than doctors and nurses for years. Her parents would come to see here every now and then, but they are busy people, and must keep working to make sure Dia has the best treatment available to her.

Pete knows that Dia has a condition that prevents her from moving around too much. But the harsh reality still looms over her mind, like a dark cloud only she can see. There is still so much that Pete still doesn't know. Things that make Dia feel uncertain about his feelings for her. How much of the truth can he handle until he can't take it anymore.

Ignoring these thoughts are impossible for her. Everytime she takes a bath or does anything that requires her to undress reminds her. The painful scars printed all over her body, the scars Pete cannot see because she hides them so well. Even with her clothes, her painful nightmares of her past still haunt her from time to time. The loud crash, the shattering glass, the blazing fire, the painful surgeries. The single mistake a young woman can make to change her life forever.

When Pete visits, those thoughts and memories fade for a brief moment. Pete's warm heart and blueberry eyes brings her warmth and comfort to her cold solitary world. What kind of person would she bewithout his calming aura, goofy jokes, and tales of harvests and winning animal contests. Before she knew it, Pete has become precious to her.

Pete also cares deeplyfor Dia. Behind that cold hard shell, he knows that Dia is a young girl who starves for attention. her illness makes her incapable of making a lot of friends, and her cold front is proof that she has a lot of painful memories. Trust is hard to find, especially with strangers. Once she shows her true self, she is warm, curious, compassionate, and loves the company of others. Since she is confined to the sanitarium, any sort of conversation is interesting to her.

Naturally, there are some concerns Pete has. Pete likes Dia, but he knows that he cannot treat her like a normal girl. When he went out to seek his significant other, he imagined that girl coming over to his farm, and bringing him warm home-cooked meals. He would walk around the village with her, and talk about anything with her. And the other norms like picnics, festivals, trips to the beach, and doing all sorts of things together with her. He cannot do those things with Dia, all he can do is visit her when he has some time off his farm.

He knows that there are hard limits, but he still wants to be closer to Dia. Some way to spend time outside the Sanitarium. Then one Fall day while he is brushing his horse, he gets an idea. But the idea cannot become reality without the cooperation of Doctor Alex.

As soon as he gets a free moment, he goes over to Doctor Alex's office to have a serious conversation with him. "You want to take Dia out on a date," asks the Doctor.

Pete nods, "I know that she can't move very much, but I think I have an idea to make it work."

"Go on, I'm listening," says the Doctor. Pete then describes his plan to help Dia move around the village. The doctor nods and answers, "I see, that could work I suppose."

"I know that I am asking a lot, but I do want to spend time with her. But for that to work, I need to know more about Dia's condition."

Doctor Alex sighs and answers, "Dia's medical history and records are strictly confidential. Only she is allowed to talk about her disorder. But there are a few things I can tell you. First, she cannot walk for more than a few minutes before she'll need to rest. For every five minutes of walking, she'll need to rest for about an hour. She cannot lift more than twenty pounds, and she cannot carry ten pounds longer than twenty feet. Exceeding these limits could be dangerous. Do you understand?"

Pete nods. "So I do have your permission to take her out on a date?"

"I am not Dia's father, and this is not a prison. Dia is allowed to make her own decisions, and may choose to do as she pleases. But even so, this is Dia's home, and I have a few rules. First, I want Dia home before the sun sets. If Dia is not feeling well at any time, I want her brought to the Sanitarium immediately. Am I clear?"

Pete nods.

"One last thing." said Doctor Alex in a serious tone. "I am required by Dia's parents to send them daily reports. Everything and anything that happens to Dia is in these reports. Everything that I know, they know."

"They even know about me," Pete asks curiously.

"Of course they do. So I advise you to to be very careful with her. But on the positive side, if I trust you, then they trust you too."

Pete nods. After their conversation, Pete returns to the farm. Tomorrow, he will surprise Dia with their first date.

The next day, Pete wakes up at 6:00 am like he does every day. The day is cool, yet crisp. Not a single cloud in the sky, a perfect day for a date. It's still early, so he goes on to do some work while the village wakes up and rubs the sand off it's eyes. Pete feels like it's going to be a great day.

At 10:00 am, Pete starts baking some Pie. Of course, he bakes Dia's favorite; blueberry pie. After the pie is done, he looks at the time, it is now 12:00pm. Time to go pick up his date. He gets on his trusted steed, and trots over to the Sanitarium. He walks in, says hello to Nurse Gina, and walk on up to the second floor to see Dia up there reading her book like always.

Dia looks up at Pete and smiles. "Hello there. It's nice to see you again."

Pete walks up to her, and says, "It's great to see you too. Actually, I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?"

"I want to go out on a date with you. Right now. Outside this place."

Dia's eyes widen at the shock. But she looked down sadly saying, "But. . . We talked about this before. My condition. . ."

Pete smiles, "Do you trust me?" Dia looks up, and looks into his blue eyes. He repeats, "do you trust me?"

Dia didn't say a word. Pete reaches his hand out, and Dia places her hand on his. Pete pulls her out of her chair, and leads her down the stairs and out the sanitarium. She is nervous, but allows him to lead her out the sanitarium. Just outside, she finds his horse waiting for them.

"We're going to ride on that," Dia asks nervously while bracing on to his arm tightly.

"Of course. His name is Koni, and he'll take you anywhere you want to go. We can see the whole village on his back."

Dia pulls closer to Pete and says, "I'm scared, what if I fall off him?"

Pete wraps his arm around Dia, which makes her feel much more comfortable. "Don't worry, Koni is gentle, and he won't let you fall off. Besides, I'll be right here with you the whole time."

Dia doesn't like the idea of being on a horse, but she still allows Pete to lead her to it. As soon as they get close, Pete picks her up, and lets her get comfortable on Koni. As soon as she is seated, Pete pulls on Koni's reins, and they walk off into the distance.

As they leave the Sanitarium, Doctor Alex watches them go from his office window. Gina stands by him, and rests her head on his shoulder. Alex places his arm around Gina, and pulls her close.

"Are you worried about them?" Gina asks curiously.

"Dia is a young woman, and Pete is a young man. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"I wanted to, believe me. But I have no right to interfere with Dia's life. It's her's to live, not mine."

"Do you think this will last?"

"I don't know. But for their sake, I hope so."

To be continued.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dia is riding on Koni while Pete is leading it by pulling on it's reins on foot. During the ride, Dia takes in the fantastic new sights she could not see through the Sanitarium window. Flowerbud Village is a small settling with old fashioned yet rustic buildings and old fashioned way of living. But without the huge number of tall buildings of a city, the village looks much bigger than it is. Due to the season, the trees are covered with leaves turning color of gold, browns, reds, and oranges. The villagers live in the town peacefully, unlike the hectic ruckus of her hometown.

It doesn't take too long until Pete reaches their destination. He opens the gates of his farm, and leads the horse in carrying Dia. Pete then leads the horse to the Pasture and stops. He then helps Dia off the horse, and gives her a chance to look around.

The area stuns Dia in it's natural beauty. There are cow grazing in the grass, and hens pecking for worms. Loads of fall crops are growing on the nearby crop fields. Just beyond the fences, she could see the roaring ocean towards the south, and the rest of the village to the north.

"Where are we?" she asks.

"This is my farm. This is where I work, I rest, I play, and live," answered Pete.

"Wow, this place is so big! And you work here all by yourself?"

Pete nods. "Yep! I spent quite a few years here. Had nothing but a tiny house and some space to grow a few things. But now this place is my own kingdom of animals and crops." He then walks towards his cows and says, "I still need to do a few chores. Just wait here for me, okay?"

Dia frowns and comments, "Not much of a date if you're working, isn't it?"

"It won't take long, I promise," Pete responds with a smile.

With nothing else better to do, Dia sits on a nearby fence and watch Pete work. Even though Pete takes longer than he promises, Dia doesn't quite mind too much. Watching him feed and milk the cattle is interesting to her. Something new to look at instead of the Sanitarium walls. Pete also takes some time to care for the hens. It is time to put them back in the coop, but catching them is harder than it looks. Dia just giggles as he watches Pete chase the hens around the pasture. Almost like watching a small comedy show. The sheep are the last thing on the list of things to do. Pete already took care of the crops earlier that morning. As Pete brushes the clean white wool of the sheep, she clearly sees the bond Pete has with them.

There is a bond of trust and love with all of Pete's animals that live in the farm. Dia reads about the bonds with animals and humans all the time. A cat that purrs around it's owner's leg, a hawk that comes to it's master at the sound of a whistle, and even animals in the circus. But this is the first time she sees this bond live. As she watches, she finds Pete's dog looking up at her. At first, she is startled, but she sees the friendly look in it's eyes. She reaches out to touch it, and the dog licks her hand. Quite a friendly gesture that puts a smile on her face.

After the work is done, Pete goes on to get the stuff he prepared for his date. He gets a blanket, and lays it on a clearing for them to sit. He also gets the pie he baked, along with some other berry themed treats to have a picnic. Dia is thrilled, she has been in picnics before with her family when she was younger. When you are confined to a Sanitarium, small pleasures like this are difficult if not impossible for Dia to enjoy again.

During the picnic, Dia asks a lot of questions, especially about Farm-life. Typical questions like "Is working on a farm difficult?" "How much time does it takes to work?" How is the farm in the other seasons?" Most of these questions answer one main question that she did not ask, why does Pete only visit about once a week? Seeing that the job he has is time consuming and straining, she now sees why. And at the same time, she appreciates the time he spends at the Sanitarium more. And also, this explains why did he had to get her before finishing his work.

The time is getting late, and it is almost time to take Dia home. But before she decides to get back on Koni, she has one last request. She wants to see the inside of Pete's home. Like most women, she wants to know is Pete is a clean person, does he have good taste in furniture, and what kind of life does he live at home.

Inside the house is nothing special. Typical guy image. Walls painted a plain white color. The furniture technically matches, but it's all the same color. No curtains, artwork, or decorations. Nothing raunchy, like pin-ups or dirty magazines. Not a bad way to live, but it could use a woman's touch.

"Not a bad house, but could use a splash of blue, and maybe a few decorations," criticized Dia.

Pete laughs sheepishly and responds, "Well, I am not at home a lot. But I do try."

Dia looks back at Pete. She is not smiling, but she is blushing. Almost if she is nervous of admitting something pretty embarrassing. She fidgets with her hands behind her back as she asks,"you know, not once have you asked about my. . . Condition."

Pete nods and answers, "It's not something I want to think about. I rather just get to know you like a normal girl."

Dia sighs and continues, "I can tell that you like me. And to be honest, I really like you too. But I think it's unfair that we feel this way, and yet, you don't know what's wrong with me. I am always afraid that when you find out, you won't like me anymore."

"That's not true!" Pete yells.

Dia then turns around facing away from Pete. Her heart is beating hard, almost like if it's about to burst. But she decided to do this, and she wants to go through with it. If this will scare him away, may as well let it be now, than later when their feelings get stronger. "Then I think it's time we put your words to the test."

Dia begins to unbutton the back of her dress. Pete freaks out, and tries to cover his eyes. But even as he does, he is a healthy male who can't help but to take a peek. But as soon as Dia exposes her back, A gasping shock overcomes Pete. Never in his life could he imagine this perfect princess could be hiding so many scars behind her dress. "That's not all," she says. She pulls back the sleeves of her shirt to show that the scars cover more than her back. Her arms, legs, just about everywhere that is covered in clothing has burn and stitch marks.

"What. . . Happened?" Pete dares himself to ask.

Dia covers her scars, and begins her story. "I was young, just turned 17 back in my hometown. I was still in high school at a private academy for girls. During the weekend, we were allowed to travel a bit and have a bit of fun. We all liked to spend time with friends, meet at the movies, concerts, whatever that was open in town. Then one summer day, me and my friends met this really cute guy. He is a few years older, but he was really cool and had a nice car. Of all the girls that he met, he really liked me. I was the envy of town, we were going out for a few months. I would sneak out of the academy to see him at nights. He was a rebel, and I fell for his charm.

"But one night, he was driving that car a bit too wild. There was an accident. . . all I could remember after that was fire and the sounds of the ambulances. We both survived, but I was not as lucky as him. He only had a broken rib and leg. I was hurt and burned much worse. I spend a good portion of a year at the hospital with surgeries and recovery. Just about everything except my face and hands have some kind of scar on it. I may have survived, but I was never the same. Many of my organs did not fully recover, and I cannot move very much because of it.

"I learned that my boyfriend made a full recovery. But even so, he abandoned me. He never came to visit me, not even once. I didn't even get a letter of apology from him. My old friends from school would visit me, and I learned he skipped town. But even so, my friends graduated school, and they had to live their lives. I was left alone. My only friend was Gina. She has always been there for me since day one. Even if I transferred to another hospital, she always came with me out of her own choice. She even came to live with me in this village.

"Even though I did survive, I am hardly alive at all. I can't run, I can't play, and I can't do what normal girls can. I'm weak."

Dia is trembling. She just admitted her secret to Pete. She can't look at him, will he leave her like so many people did in the past. Can he accept her the way she is with her terrible memories and broken body? And most importantly, how will this affect how he feels about her?

All of her worries melt as soon as she feels his warm embrace from behind. He pulls her close, and whispers in her ear, "I'm sorry about what happened to you. But I won't leave you. You may say that you're weak, but I think you're the strongest person I know. It takes a lot of strength to live after going through that. Now I must ask you something, can I stay by your side?"

Tears fall from Dia's cheeks. She is happy that Pete has decided to stay with her. Even more that he asks her if he can stay with her. She is overcome with emotion, she turns around, and cries tears of joy on his chest. Pete strokes her hair doing anything he can to comfort her. She may not be normal, but she is more than he ever asked for. Strong spirited, confident, beautiful, educated; and above all, honest.

After Dia has her moment, it is time to take her home. Pete places her back on the back of his horse, and she rides it back to the Sanitarium. They find Doctor Alex and Gina waiting there for them to come back. But before Pete can give her date back to the Sanitarium, he decides to do one last thing. They look at one another in the eyes, and shared their first kiss together. Gina and Alex look at one another, and smile. They won't hear about it, but they have a good idea of what happened on their date.

And with that, Dia is left in the care of the Sanitarium and Pete goes home. They both sleep in different places, but they both have the same dreams, of each other.

To be continued.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sooner than later, winter comes out to chill the air and cover Flowerbud Village with a blanket of snow. The villagers are now in their homes more often to keep warm and spend time with their families. Lots of family related festivals take place around this time of year; Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentines Day, Fire Festival, and Starry Night Festival. Not to mention the many birthdays that take place in this season.

In Pete's Farm, much of the crops have already died, and the trees do not give him any produce. All he has are the animals to take care of. Naturally, this means that he has much more time to himself than any other season. This would normally be his least favorite season, considering that he would be bored most days. But now that he met Dia, he now has somewhere to be.

In the Sanitarium, Dia looks out the window. The beauty of winter is unmatched to the city where she once lived. The nights are longer, and get filled with sparkling stars she could never see in her hometown. At night the snow on the ground glisten from the moonlight. She so wishes she can play in the pure white snow, if her condition only let her. She can only watch the young children play in the snow instead.

She does feel a little envious, but there is always one person who can make her feel better. On the ninth day of Winter, Pete pays Dia a special visit. He walks up the same stairs, and finds her sitting by the window like she does most days. He walks up to her with a proud smile on his face.

"Is this seat taken?" he asks jokingly pointing on an empty spot next to Dia.

Dia smiles warmly and answers, "That seat is reserved for you my good sir."

Pete nods then sits down. They both look outside to watch the children play and take a moment to see how much has changed. It was just Spring when they first met. The snow outside reminds them that when it all melts, it would have been nearly a whole year since she came to live in the village. And almost a year that they've known one another. They sit next to one another proudly. The villagers who walk by smile and wave at them. By now, everyone knows that they are happily together in a dating relationship.

"By the way, I heard that today is your birthday. Happy Birthday!" said Pete.

Dia blushes and says, "Thank you. I usually am alone on my birthday. But I feel happy that you came over. Will you be staying for some cake? Gina is buying some from the shop."

"Sure, but before that, I want to give you a present," answers Pete.

"You got me a present?" asks Dia. Pete nods, and goes down the steps to the first floor. Moments later, he brings up a large white box with a green ribbon tied on it.

He rests it on the ground in front of Dia, and says, "Go ahead, open it."

Dia hesitates for a moment, then she undoes the emerald colored ribbon and opens the box. After looking inside the box for a moment, she pulls out a stuffed bear.

"Wow, it's so cute!" said Dia cheerfully. "I wonder if it has a name."

"Why not give it one?" asked Pete.

Dia takes a good long look at the bear. She then smiles and hugs the bear happily saying, "I think I'll call it. . . Daachan."

Seeing Dia smile like that holding her present makes him happy as well. Just like the seasons change, so do they. Pete was once a lonely farm boy who would work only for himself dreaming of being with someone. Dia was once a cold lonely girl who lacked the trust and faith in others. Together, they are happy and smiling as they spend their days with one another.

Pete visits the Sanitarium almost on a daily basis during the winter days. Most of the time, Pete sits with her by the window, and talk with her about what is going on outside that ice cold glass. Other days, Pete takes her out on his horse and allows her to take a look around the village. Pete and his horse has become her communication to the outside world, seeing things she would never be able on her own. She has visited many places, meet many people she couldn't before, and seen many breathtaking views she only imagined before.

Just as predicted, the snow melts and the crops begin to grow once again. Pete now has to return to work and spend less time at the Sanitarium. Mainly because he has to prepare the soil that had rested all winter long. Tilling dirt, planting seeds, watering large fields takes up much of his time. It isn't until mid Spring that he is able to visit Dia once again.

The young couple are not very happy at this time. They both have gotten used to the idea that they could see one another every day all winter long. They spend hours talking to each other, and went to every festival together. Now Pete's job has put some distance between them. And with distance comes longing to see one another. Dia naturally feels alone and abandoned. Some nights she would cry because she didn't get to see Pete that day. She has Daachan now, but it's not the same. She sometimes wait for hours holding Daachan for Pete's visit. She knows that Pete has to work, but it doesn't relieve the empty hole in hear chest.

Pete also feels the pressure brought from the distance. The beginning of spring means long work days. By the time he finishes, Dia is long asleep. When he finally gets to see her, Dia becomes a bit sour. She knows it's not his fault, but she misses him that much. She can't help but to feel that maybe Pete enjoys his job more than she. The thought that Pete has met a more normal girl does cross her mind every now and then.

Summer rolls in, and Pete was able to mend his relationship with Dia. They got back into the weekly visits like they did before. But they both feel that it's not enough. Pete has to work, but he wants his relationship to Dia work too. It's much more difficult when you've developed feelings for someone who cannot visit you. Dia is rooted at the Sanitarium, and Pete is mostly rooted to the farm as well. The farm and the Sanitarium are on the opposite sides of the village, so they can't even hear each other's voices if they call out.

By fall, enough is enough. Pete wants Dia to be a part of his life, even if it means making the ultimate commitment. All fall long, Pete plans and works as hard as he can to do what any man in love does. By winter, he will ask the girl he loves to marry him. That way, they can live together and never be apart for the rest of their lives.

On Christmas Eve, Pete takes Dia out of the sanitarium against Doctor Alex's orders. It is a cold night, and Pete takes her up to Starry hill where a full moon shines brightly. At that moment, Pete presents her the symbol of marriage in Flowerbud Village; a blue feather.

Dia is familiar with this tradition, but she didn't know that they still practice it. Although old fashioned, her heart still rushes as the man she loves is asking for her hand in marriage. She doesn't know what to say, let along answer. Should she take it? Will she be a good enough wife for him? Can she even be a wife with her illness? How will her family react?

Dia looks hard at the feather not knowing if she should take it or not. She cares deeply for Pete, but she is not sure if she'll make a good wife for him. So she looks at Pete in his blueberry eyes, and asks, "Are you sure you want to marry me? Even though I am not healthy? Are you sure I won't be a burden to you?"

"I know all about your health, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. I love you so much, and I don't want to be with anyone else but you. I'll take care of you, and make you the happiest woman in the world. So, will you marry me?"

Dia feels scared, but she feels the same way he does. So she decides to accept his feather, and become his wife. They then share a kiss as a newly engaged couple.

Back at the sanitarium, Alex and Gina are both unhappy that Pete took Dia out at night, but their moods changed after they announced their engagement. Alex and Gina both look at one another concerned about their engagement, but they know that Dia has every right to get married just like anyone else. So they congratulate them, and start the preparations for their wedding.

That spring, the very same date that Dia arrived, the whole village gathered to celebrate the wedding of Pete and Dia. Even Dia's family came to the wedding as well. Pete is nervous to meet the family that day, but they accept him with open arms.

The wedding takes place at Starry Hill, the same place Pete proposed. Both Dia and Pete arrive at the ceremony riding on the same horse that usually carries Dia around the village. Pete dismounts first, and helps his bride off her steed. Pete wears a typical white wedding suit, but Dia is wearing a special custom dress she designed herself. Most of the dress is white, except some green patterns in the shape of vines. Blue dots around the vines are small blueberry patterns. The dress is a symbol of Pete and Dia's love. The vines are Dia's green eyes, and the blueberries are Pete's eyes. Together, they are one life, bound by love.

After the mayor recite the vows, Pete places the ring he spent nearly a month to buy for Dia. He then kisses his bride, and they are now pronounced man and wife. The whole village cheers as they mount the horse once again with a sign "Just Married" hanging of it's tail. A funny gesture, but memorable.

Dia immediately moves into the farm with her husband Pete. She freshens up the house to be very cozy. Her very own home, she never imagined the day she could live outside a hospital setting. The sanitarium was the closest thing, but not the same as what she has now. She used to feel like she was in a cage. Now she has more freedom. She can walk out the house, and see the whole village instead of looking through a window. She cannot leave the farm on her own, but she is very happy that she can be with the man she loves. Doctor Alex and Gina must make frequent visits every now and then, but she can tolerate it.

She still knows that she cannot live a normal girl's life. She cannot do what most girls can do, like cook and clean, and move around too much. But Pete and Dia are happy together. But no matter how happy she is, she wonders how long this happiness can last.

To be continued.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Pete and Dia spends many happy times with one another. Living together brought them very close. Dia looks outside through the bedroom window and watches her husband work on the farm. She misses him when he has to leave the farm by himself. She then feels happy when he arrives back home. After work is over, they spend time watching TV together, they read books to one another, and talk about the farm. Soon enough, the seasons change and Fall comes around once again.

During mid-fall, Pete takes Dia to the clinic. She has been feeling slightly ill for the last couple of days. Illness is not something to take lightly, especially in Dia's case. After explaining Dia's symptoms, Doctor Alex gives her a small medical exam. He then asks them to return to the clinic the very next day.

The next day arrives, and the young married couple await for the results of the exam. Pete has no idea what's going on, but Dia has a good idea what news might be coming her way soon. Doctor Alex opens up the folder prepared by Gina, and reads it silently. Tension builds as the couple waits patiently for the results. He takes his sweet time verifying that the results are accurate before making his announcement.

"Well, it's official. Dia is pregnant."

Dia and Pete both gasp with excitement. Pete jumps up and yells, "Yes! I'm gonna be a daddy! I'm gonna be a daddy! Wo-hoo!"

Since Dia can't stand and celebrate with her husband, she just claps happily. But as Pete dances and celebrates, Doctor Alex sighs with concern. "Umm, Pete? You think you can give me and Dia here a minute? We need to talk for a bit."

"Sure! I'll pick her up later! I have to go and make plans already. Where are we gonna keep the nursery? I gotta get some baby furniture."

"That's great sweetie. Just be back in an hour. Okay?" asked Dia.

"Okay!" yelled Pete full of excitement. He then rushes out the clinic, and goes on to the local shops to see what he can get in the village as far as baby supplies.

Back at the Clinic, Dia already knows why the doctor asked her to stay behind. He doesn't say anything at first, he just rubs his temple as he tries to compose himself. She is bracing herself for the lecture she will get from the doctor. Both of them knew that this day will come, but the doctor didn't expect it so soon.

"Dia, what have you done?" asked Doctor Alex.

Dia fidgets with her fingers and answers, "umm. . . I'm having a baby. Aren't you happy?"

A fist suddenly slams on the doctor's desk. His facial expression is filled with grief and fear. "Dammit Dia! This is not funny! I thought we talked about this already! We agreed that if you wanted children, you would have to go through me first!"

There is a moment of silence afterwards. The only thing anyone can hear for several minutes is the heavy breathing of the doctor. Dia has no idea what to tell him, she is not going to apologize for what she did, but she did go against doctor's orders.

"I'm going to lose my job over this!" said Doctor Alex breaking the silence. After calming down a bit, the doctor continues, "Listen to me, if you wanted to have a child, we had to run some tests to make sure if you're body could handle carrying a child. Then we would get a special doctor to come to the village to monitor and care for you until you conceive. But you have gone and got pregnant putting your life in danger."

Dia sighs and answers, "I know, we talked about this. But I didn't want to do this like if I was some lab rat. I wanted to have a more 'natural' pregnancy. Unplanned like normal married people. I want to have a normal marriage, like any other girl would have. I know what I did was risky, but I have faith in you and Gina. I know that I can have this baby with your help, and nobody else's."

Doctor Alex thinks for a moment. He then picks up a pen and says, "you leave me no choice. I'm transferring you to a city hospital!"

Dia stands up and yells, "What!? You can't do that!"

"Sit down!" Doctor Alex demands. Dia takes a seat angry about the doctor's decision. He continues, "I know you don't want to go back to a hospital, but this is for your own good. This is a high risk pregnancy, and I don't have the equipment to deliver this baby. You cannot push this baby out of your body naturally, so the baby must be taken out when you are ready to give birth. If you try to have the baby by yourself, you could risk both the lives of yourself and your child. Is that what you want?"

Dia remains quiet for a moment. She knows the doctor is right. When she came to Flowerbud Village, she planned to remain in the sanitarium for the rest of her life. She never planned to meet someone, fall in love, get married, and have a baby. But here she is, taking life in her own hands. She wants to do things her way, but things could get out of her hands if she doesn't start listening to her doctor.

"What about my husband?" asked Dia.

"Your husband works as a farmer. I'm sure he is allowed to visit you, but I don't think the farm will let him. Unless he can hire someone to care for the farm in his place, he will need to stay here until the baby is born."

"But. . . I don't want to be away from him that long. I want him to be by my side during my pregnancy. I want him to take care of me, not some doctor I don't know. I want him to see the child grow inside me, he earned the right to have those memories. We cannot take that part of our family away from him."

Doctor Alex sighs again. Having a normal life is something that Dia wants more than anything. He has a duty as a doctor, but he also has a duty as Dia's friend. He is in a tight spot. He never controlled Dia's life up to this point, he doesn't want to start doing so now.

"All right. I'll allow you to stay in the village." Doctor Alex said in a depressed tone. Dia begins to get excited, but the doctor points at her saying, "but I have a few conditions. First, even though I am allowing you to stay here, you will go to the hospital about a week before the delivery date. This will give you plenty of time to spend with your husband. On that topic, I want you to tell your husband everything we talked about now. He has the right to know what's going on, and I need his co-operation with this. And one last thing, if you feel anything unusual, you must tell me. Am I clear? Do you promise on both of your lives?"

"I promise," says Dia.

After the lecture. Dia waits patiently for her husband and his valiant steed to take them home. She doesn't wait long until Pete arrives to get her. During the ride home, he tells his wife that he found some good deals on children's furniture at the nearby shops. He also arranged supplies to be delivered once the baby is born; milk, diapers, and other supplies that they will need. While Pete is excited, Dia remains quiet. She should be excited with her husband, but now she is genuinely worried.

The next day, Pete runs around making preparations. He needs to have an extra room built for the nursery, make changes to his budget, and plan for how will he be a good father. It isn't until the middle of the day until he notices something odd about Dia. Since she got home, she has not said a single word. She should be excited, but Pete can see a worried look on her face.

As soon as he gets a break from planning, he walks up to his wife and holds her hand. She looks at him in his blueberry eyes, then look away. "Honey, what's wrong?" he asks.

"I'm. . . scared," answers Dia.

"Scared? About what?"

Dia then proceeds to tell him everything. About the risks, and the fact that she will need to travel to the city far from home to deliver the baby. All of the sudden, Pete's excitement fades, and he becomes worried himself. When he asks her why didn't she say anything before, she answers, "because I want to be with you." Those words make him smile, but it won't make the fear go away.

But what is done is done. The seed of life has been planted, and everyone must play their roles to assure that Dia and her baby are safe. Once a week, Dia is taken to the clinic to have regular health exams. Week after week, Dia and the baby are fine and healthy. Pete does his best to keep Dia away from any type of stress or strain. She is also put on a special diet, where she cannot eat any sweets but fruits and veggies instead. Dia misses her husband's blueberry pies. At least she is hand fed fresh blueberries which makes her happy.

The seasons change, and the baby begins to grow. Her inability to carry the baby makes her even more dependent on her husband. She is often rooted on a chair or bed, and she cannot stand up. Her husband must carry her everywhere, baby and all. It's a strain on himself, but he is happy to do his best for her. Since she cannot leave the farm, the doctor must come to her with Gina and any equipment they need to monitor her progress. So far, the baby and it's mother are healthy.

Spring passes, and Summer arrives. The baby's due date is close, and Dia must prepare to leave the farm. She is now sitting on her bed knitting a small shirt for the little bundle of joy. Her hair is much longer than it was when she first arrived in the village. Because of her massive hair growth, she feels that her baby might be a boy, but she is not sure.

Pete then enters the room, and sits on the bed next to Dia. He holds her hand and asks, "How are you feeling?"

Dia places her other hand on the growing baby, and answers, "Our child will be born in a week or so. I feel scared, but I just hope that he or she will be born healthy."

A tear sheds from Pete's eyes. He then kisses his wife on the forehead, and says, "You don't have to worry about a thing. Everything is going to be okay, I promise."

She takes his hand, places it on her face. Feeling her husband's hand caressing her face brings her joy in her time of need. This may be the last time she'll feel it until she comes home with her child. So far, everything is fine. She is confident that everything will be fine at the hospital as well.

"I'm going to check if your ride is here," said Pete.

Just before he is able to leave the room, Doctor Alex and Gina burst into the room. "We have a problem! Turn on the TV!" he yells.

Pete turns on the TV, and the doctor turns to the weather channel. They find out that a hurricane is on their way tomorrow, and the news advises everyone to stay in their homes. Pete looks at the doctor and says, "What's the problem? It's a hurricane, they happen every now and then. No big deal."

"I got a call from Dia's family. The ride to the hospital is canceled until the hurricane passes," said Doctor Alex.

"Is everything going to be okay? Will I make it to the hospital on time?" asked Dia.

The doctor remains quiet, but Pete reassures, "So we will get to the hospital a bit late. Dia's due date is in another week, she has plenty of time before the baby is born."

"I know, but even so," said the doctor.

"What is it? Tell us!" yells Dia.

"It's most likely nothing, but I can't help but to fear the worst. There are so many things that could happen during a hurricane, but it could be my imagination," answered the Doctor.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Pete. Even so, he feels that the doctor is hiding something, but he'll trust his judgment.

After Doctor Alex and Gina leaves the house, the doctor turns around and says, "Gina, I want you to stay here with them."

"I understand, but is there any reason why?" asked Gina.

Doctor Alex turns around and begins to walk away, but not before saying, "I had a dream, a very scary dream." He then returns to the Clinic alone.

Gina spent the night with Pete and Dia. Things are calm and peaceful, but the winds start to pick up at midnight. By the morning time, rain and thunder start to kick in, and the hurricane is in full force. Pete looks out and sees the trees bowing for the force of the wind, and debris rolling around the muddy roads. For a moment he worries for the welfare of the farm. On the other hand, Dia is acting incredibly strange. Since the sound of thunder started, she has been hiding herself underneath her blanket. She tries to cover her ears, but the sound of thunder is too loud to ignore.

Pete becomes worried and asks, "Dia, what's wrong?"

"It's the thunder, I'm afraid of thunder!" she answers.

"You are!? Since when!?"

"Always!"

Pete begins to panic. He never knew that Dia had any fears, and the loud thunderbolts of the hurricane is freaking her out. He tries to hold her tight to bring her some type of comfort. He tells her not to worry, and he is there for her, but the sound of thunderbolts cause her to be tense. Then, it happens.

"Oh no!" yells Dia.

"What's wrong?"

"The baby! It's coming! I feel that he wants to be born!"

Pete turns white out of fear, "what?! Not here! Not Now!"

He then cries for Gina to the room. She rushes in and checks on Dia. Her contractions are powerful, and Dia is in excruciating pain. She feels like her body is gonna tear itself apart, and she is not even pushing yet.

"What do we do?" asked Pete.

"This baby won't wait, she'll have to give birth, right now!" says Gina panicking. She then holds Dia's hand and says, "It's okay, I'll help you deliver the baby. I am a trained midwife, remember?" Dia nods, Gina then looks at Pete and yells, "Don't just stand there! Get us a towel, and some warm water!"

Pete then snapps out of his trance and runs off to get the supplies he needs. His mind is numb from the hurricane and his wife going through labor. A window shatters causing him to fall down. Even though the odds are stacked against him, he won't give up that easily He will do his best for his wife and his child.

After getting the towel and water, he tries to walk in. Strangely, he finds himself too afraid to go in. Remembering what the doctor said causes him to lose his nerve. From outside the room, he hears Gina instruct Dia to push. As hard as she tries, Dia's crying voice tells Gina that she can't. Gina will not give up on her friend, so she demands that Dia tries harder.

Dia's vision is getting blurry. The pain of bringing life to the world is too much for her to bear. Her breathing is heavy, and the baby is still in her womb. She doesn't have the strength to push any more. She turns her head to the side, and finds her stuffed bear Daachan. The bear is sitting in a corner watching her. She remembers the promise she made to her husband that she cannot give up on her family. So she summons her strength for one last forceful push.

The last push is so painful, that Dia screams out loud. The sound is so terrifying that it belongs in a horror movie. Pete panics, and drops the towel and water. He runs in to see what is going on. He runs in, fearing the worst. When he comes in, he sees Gina holding a crying baby in her arms. Dia is lying on the bed, resting from the ultimate push.

Pete's eyes glow as he sees his child healthy in Gina's arms. Gina holds the baby to him and announces, "it's a boy!"

Pete holds his baby wrapped in a blanket. He is happy to hear the baby crying out. The baby is born, and it's alive and well. The baby has jet black hair, just like his mother. His heart skips as he looks into the blue eyes of his baby boy.

"I can't believe it, our son is born. Dia, you did it! You delivered the baby all by yourself. Right in our house. I am so proud of you!"

Dia does not answer. She lays there on the bed, not moving, eyes closed, hardly breathing. Pete then rushes over to Dia and says, "Come on Dia, open your eyes! Look at our son. We're a family now! You, me, and our son. You can't fall asleep on us now. Come on! Hold our son! Please, open your eyes. . . . . . Dia?"

To be continued.


	10. Chapter 10

Because of the dark nature of the following chapter, reader discretion is advised.

Final Chapter

Dia finds herself in a dark and desolate place. The air is cold as a winter's day, and the feeling of death lingers. She can clearly see herself, so there is light. But everything is black; no walls, no sky, no ground. She does not know how she got there or why.

She has no choice but to aimlessly wander until she finds something or someone. She cannot see anything, but she can hear something in the distance. It's a terrifying sound of people moaning from pain and disease. The sound comes from all directions. Even though the sound is miles away, she can tell that millions of people are making them.

She spends what feels like an eternity looking around, but she doesn't see a thing. The feeling of loneliness spread through her body like a plague. She doesn't know where she's going, she just wants to know how to get out. But as she wanders the darkness, she gets a headache. Something wants to come inside her head.

She closes her eyes, and she sees her husband caring for her son all by himself. He is not the same, his soul shattered from losing her. Her son alone and abandoned; his father can barely look at him because he is a constant reminder of Dia. The images tear at Dia's heart, her husband is now all alone, and her son never even got to know her. She has no one to blame but herself. Her selfish wish to be with her husband cost her everything. First she loses her freedom, now she loses her life.

She wants to apologize to them, she wants a way to take it all back. A way to make things right. But it's too late, she feels that it's over, and she'll spend eternity watching those horrible consequences of her decisions. She falls to her knees, holding her head like if it was going to burst. She wants to cry, but she's in so much pain.

"What's wrong?" asks a mysterious voice.

Shocked, Dia looks ahead to find another person. A person bound in chains and shackles. His skin is completely burnt, similar to Dia. But this person is burned far worse than Dia. His face is charred beyond the point of recognition. Some of his bones are exposed, and his clothing is hanging off molten threads. His voice is raspy, like if he is choking on something as he talks.

The person is terrifying, but Dia dares herself to approach him. She doesn't know why, but she feels like she might know him. She looks at him cautiously and asks, "Where are we?"

"My dear Dia, this is Purgatory. I have been waiting for you."

Dia takes a step back and asks, "you know my name? Who are you?"

The person standing before Dia laughs and answers, "I thought you might not remember me. Let alone tell who I am looking like this. But when we were younger, we both looked so much different. Like normal people. Lived normal lives."

Dia gasps and yells, "It's you! . . . What happened to you?"

"Some people don't learn from their mistakes. I just kept doing what I wanted to do, and then I ended up here."

"I don't understand, why can I only see you?" Dia asks nervously.

"Isn't it obvious? We were meant to be together. Ever since I got here, I've been thinking about you. Regretting what I did to you. I knew that we will meet again someday, and here you are."

Dia takes another few steps back. She is scared beyond her understanding. The last person she ever wanted to see, and he is telling her that they will now spend the rest of eternity together. Her nightmare come true. "I. . . I don't want to go with you."

"I see, it's that farmer isn't it?"

"How do you know about him?"

"I've been watching you. For I don't know how long, I have watched you grow and move to that boring village. You met that boring man, and had a boring hick wedding. Tell the truth, you only married him because he was the only one who is willing to love you. Am I wrong?"

For a moment, she feels that he might have had a point. When she was younger, she was a much different person. If she was perfectly healthy, could she had fallen in love with Pete? What if there were options? So many variables cloud her judgment. She doesn't know what to think or how to feel. She is just confused.

"Come," he says as he reaches his hand out to her. "Come with me, you know it's the right thing to do. You don't want to be alone, do you? You once loved me, I know you still do. Lets cross over, together."

Dia's mind is in a haze. She can't think clearly, all she thinks about is the past. Those moments where she and this man once shared with each other. She is dead, Pete is alive. They can no longer be together. With this option, she at least will not be alone. As if in a trance, she reaches out to him. She can barely control her body, it's moving on it's own. The burnt figure smiles, he shakes almost like if he is laughing.

"Dia! Don't leave me!" says Pete breaking Dia's trance. Dia looks around; she can't see him, but she can hear his voice. He's crying, begging for her to wake up. Dia wants to, but she has no idea how.

"Don't listen to that voice. It's too late to do anything, you cannot change what happened! He'll move on, and marry someone else. You won't matter to him anymore. Come with me, it's the only choice!"

He reaches out to her one more time. But Dia slaps his hand away. He gasps as ge gazes into the courageous eyes of the woman in front of him. "I am not going with you!" she yells. "You ruined my life. Took everything, then threw me away. I rather be alone, than to spend eternity by your side. Don't you get it? I hate you!"

Hearing those words angers him. He tries to get up to attack her, but he is stopped by several skeletal arms that reach out of the ground and grab him. They slowly pull him into the darkness as he desperately struggles to get free. Dia covers her eyes, she could not watched the man who destroyed her being pulled into the depths of hell. All she can hear is his desperate voice calling out, "no, this is not fair! I don't want to be alone! It was a mistake! I didn't mean to do it!" When the voices stop, he is gone.

Dia sighs, it is now the beginning of the rest of her life. Or so she thought. Only moments later, a white light in the shape of a door opens up behind her. She looks back into the light, and sees the image of herself lying on the bed. A mysterious voice in her head says, "Go, you deserve a second chance."

She has no idea where the voice came from. But the voice was pure and peaceful. She walks towards that light, and passes through. The light envelops her, it feels warm, comforting, peaceful, and full of joy.

Now it's all white. The image is fuzzy, she can barely make out anything. The light fades, and it's now dark again. She can't move, and she is so tired. She can hear a voice, but it's too muffled to make out. As soon as she gets the strength, she slowly opens her eyes. The view is blurry, but she sees two people she cares for deeply. Her best friend Gina. And her loving Husband Pete.

She looks at their faces. She can tell that they have been crying, but they are now happy to see her open her eyes. Her body is heavy, but she can move. She is still in great pain. After all, she did bring a new life into the world just moments ago.

Pete brings their child and says, "Dia, look! It's our baby! He's healthy! He's perfect! Come on, hold him!"

"Give her a minute! She just woke up!" interrupted Gina.

"No. . . I want to hold my baby. . ." Dia struggles to say.

Gina moves aside, and allows Pete to bring Dia's son. She struggles with all her might to reach him. It feels like she has cinder blocks attached to her arms, but Dia's will overpowers her weakness. The baby is placed in Dia's arms, and she is able to look in his eyes. Blue, just like his father's.

Dia smiles and whispers, "thank you Pete. Because of you, I came out of the darkness, and into the light. Thanks to you, we're alive."

Epilogue

Time passed. The baby was named Bleuet, the french name for Blueberry. Unique, but Dia and Pete both like it. Little Bleuet is now five years old. He is a healthy and active baby who loves to run and play. Dia loves her son, but she does feel a bit sad that she cannot play with her son. She cannot run and play with her son, all she can do is watch him. Watch him grow, play, learn, and make mistakes. Even though she wish that she could run in the field with her son, she is more than grateful to be able to have a family of her own.

A word from the author:

In the real world; once a life is gone, it cannot come back. But in the world of stories, you can change the fate of the characters that live in your world. That's why I love to write.

Losing a loved one is hard and painful. Knowing that someone can never come back is the worst feeling anyone can ever experience. I had to feel that once, and it has changed my life forever. But even going through that, I am grateful to be alive. I have found the true joy that comes from being born. Thank you mom, I will never forget you, and I will always be grateful.

The end.

**For Ana J. Vicente**

**March 14, 1968 – February 12, 1997**

_"Everything is going to be okay, I promise."_

Happy Birthday Mom!

Credits:

This Fanfic is based off the Harvest Moon: Magical Melody game. Juxapose4ever does not assume ownership of copywritten materials or names belonging to Marvelous Interactive, Victor Interactive,  
Marucome, or Natume.

This entire Fanfic was Written by Juxapose4ever for fans of Harvest Moon, or other people who just love to read. Thanks for reading.


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